MLB.com's Carrie Muskat has been covering Major League Baseball since 1981 and is the author of "Banks to Sandberg to Grace: Five Decades of Love and Frustration with the Cubs." You can follow her on Twitter @CarrieMuskat. Here, she blogs about the Cubs.

Results tagged ‘ Justin Berg ’

Cubs prospect Junior Lake was 0-for-3 in Estrellas’ 11-3 loss to Aguilas on Wednesday in the Dominican round-robin playoffs. Estrellas is now 2-9, and faces the Toros (6-5) on Thursday. Also, there was a report on Thursday that Cubs shortstop Starlin Castro plans to play for Escogido, but does need to get permission from the Cubs front office. Escogido is 7-4 and tied with Aguilas for first in the round-robin playoffs.

* Luis Valbuena was 2-for-4 in Lara’s 7-1 loss to Zulia on Wednesday in Venezuela winter league playoffs. On Tuesday, Valbuena hit a three-run double and scored twice in an eight-run seventh inning rally in an 8-5 win.

Roster moves:

* The Rockies signed right-hander Manuel Corpas to a Minor League deal with an invite to big league camp. He was the Rockies closer in 2007. Last year, Corpas made 48 appearances for the Cubs, but was a free agent at the end of the season after refusing an outright assignment to the Minor Leagues.

* Kosuke Fukudome will play in Japan again. He has signed a three-year deal believed to be worth $5.5 million with the Hanshin Tigers. Fukudome, 35, batted .171 in 51 plate appearances with the White Sox last season before he was released. He posted a career .258/.359/.395 numbers at the big league level with the Cubs, Indians and White Sox.

* In case you missed it, pitcher Randy Wells has signed a Minor League deal with the Rangers, and pitcher Justin Berg has signed with the Rockies.

Logan Watkins hit a solo homer in the bottom of the eighth to help Tennessee beat Birmingham, 3-2, on Saturday. Michael Burgess also homered for the Smokies. Kevin Rhoderick picked up the win in relief. Jae-Hoon Ha, who will play in the All-Star Futures game, had two hits.

Kyler Burke gave up two runs, one earned, on three hits over four innings in Daytona’s 5-2 loss to Dunedin. John Andreoli had two hits.

Zach Cates gave up four earned runs on six hits over four innings and struck out five in Peoria’s 9-5 loss to Wisconsin. Paul Hoilman hit a double, and now has hit safely in 10 of his last 11 games.

Jose Arias gave up five runs on nine hits over five innings in Boise’s 12-6 win over Spokane. Stephen Bruno had two hits and one RBIs and Jeimer Candelario had three hits and two RBIs.

Justin Berg, making a comeback from Tommy John surgery, threw two scoreless innings in Mesa’s 12-8 win over the Royals. Carlos Penalver had three hits and three RBIs.

Pitchers Justin Berg and Brian Schlitter were designated for assignment by the Cubs on Thursday, and pitcher Carlos Zambrano was added to the 40-man roster. Zambrano was taken off the 40-man roster when the Cubs determined that he would not be returning to the team for the final month. On Sept. 2, the Cubs announced Zambrano would not return after his 30-day suspension ended but that they would resume paying his salary. The suspension ran through Sept. 11. Zambrano was taken off the 40-man roster at that time so the Cubs weren’t limited in the number of players they had available.

The right-hander was suspended after his early exit from Turner Field on Aug. 12. In that game against the Braves, he gave up five home runs, then was ejected because umpire Tim Timmons felt Zambrano was trying to hit Chipper Jones. Zambrano packed his gear and left the ballpark, telling teammates he was retiring. The Cubs placed Zambrano on the disqualified list on Aug. 13. He finished 9-7 with a 4.82 ERA in 24 starts.

The Major League Players Association filed a grievance on Zambrano’s behalf, which is still unresolved. Major League Baseball, the Players Association and the Cubs will process the grievance this offseason.

Schlitter was first activated from the 60-day disabled list before he was designated. He missed the 2011 season because of a right elbow injury. Berg underwent Tommy John surgery on his right elbow in late September.

The Cubs trimmed four from the spring camp roster, including lefty Scott Maine and right-hander Justin Berg. Maine and Berg were optioned to Triple-A Iowa, while Todd Wellemeyer and Angel Guzman were both assigned to the Minor League camp. Guzman is rehabbing from right shoulder surgery and scheduled to throw in a game next week. Wellemeyer was a non-roster invitee. Trimming Maine most likely means the Cubs will have three lefties in the bullpen in John Grabow, James Russell and Sean Marshall. The moves bring the roster to 36 now.

* Also, catcher Max Ramirez was to get an MRI on his left wrist on Wednesday.

* Augie Ojeda felt instant relief after receiving a cortisone shot in his back. He’s been bothered by back spasms. Ojeda will try to hit off a batting tee on Wednesday, and if he continues to progress, could get in a game Friday.

* Aramis Ramirez was at HoHoKam Park to work out Tuesday. He has not played since Friday because of a high fever.

* Carlos Zambrano said he had a good turnout Monday night at his home run derby fundraiser in Gilbert, Ariz., despite the rainy weather. Zambrano is next scheduled to pitch Wednesday against the Athletics in Mesa.

* Justin Berg and Carlos Marmol both threw in the Minor League camp on Tuesday. Other pitchers scheduled to throw Tuesday in the Cubs’ game against the Dodgers include John Grabow, Scott Maine, Sean Marshall and Jeff Samardzija.

There’s no rain in the forecast for Monday’s workout at Fitch Park, which is the good news. Pitchers scheduled to throw during live BP include Randy Wells, Andrew Cashner, Casey Coleman, Justin Berg, Kerry Wood, Todd Wellemeyer, Robert Coello and Jay Jackson.

It’s a busy week in Chicago for the Cubs. The Cubs Caravan will be Wednesday and Thursday, and lead up to the Cubs Convention, which will be Friday through Sunday at the Hilton Chicago. New Cubs Carlos Pena and Matt Garza both are expected to attend. But wait, there’s more:

* On Wednesday, Cubs pitcher Justin Berg will join Lil’ Ed and the Blue
Imperials at Buddy Guy’s Legends in downtown Chicago. Showtime is 9
p.m., and tickets are $15. All proceeds go to the Ryan and Jenny
Dempster Family Foundation. The event will include a silent auction and
live auction of two electric guitars autographed by Berg, Lil’ Ed and
the Band, and Buddy Guy.

* On Saturday, Carlos Zambrano will host a party at 8fifty8, 858 W. Lake Street, Chicago, to raise money for the Big Z Foundation. There will be giveaways, a live raffle and silent auction. The event will start at 9 p.m. CT and the donation cover charge is $20. One hundred percent of the proceeds will go to the Big Z Foundation.

The Cubs announced the players, coaches and front office personnel who will take part in next week’s Cubs Caravan. There will be two tour groups. On Wednesday, group No. 1 will include Randy Wells, Justin Berg, James Russell, Bob Dernier, DJ LeMahieu, Chris Carpenter, Oneri Fleita, Ivan DeJesus and Dave Keller. Bob Brenly and Dave Otto will take part in the morning sessions, and Len Kasper will join the tour in the afternoon.

Tour No. 2 Wednesday will include Mike Quade, Sean Marshall, Andrew Cashner, Koyie Hill, Jay Jackson, Lester Strode, Randy Bush and Mark Riggins. Kasper will take part in the morning session and Otto will cover in the afternoon.

The Cubs called up five players from Triple-A Iowa including outfielders Sam Fuld and Brad Snyder, infielder Bobby Scales, and pitchers Jeff Samardzija and Justin Berg. Also, Carlos Silva was activated from the DL to start Tuesday. For those of you keeping count, the Cubs placed John Grabow and Esmailin Caridad on the 60-day disabled list, which made room on the 40-man for Snyder and Scales.

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